Read these and other reviews and articles by Caroline Furlong at Upstream Reviews!
Review: Honor At Stake (Love at First Bite, Book 1) by Declan Finn
Lily Sparks has her man, Marco Catalano. Sure, she is small enoough he could squash her and hardly notice as they walk down the street, but he is a hunk. And all the world knows that he is hers.
But now it is time to pull over in the nearest alley and have a discreet taste of her boyfriend. After all, what is the point of an evening walk if you cannot have a bite or two before he takes you home?
However, the two are interrupted by a druggie high and looking to kill. Marco disengages to handle him – easily and rather brutally. Lily loses it when she sees him bite their attacker, running screaming into the night after Marco turns to her with blood all over his mouth and chin.
Not hard to guess who the vampire is, right? Hold your horses, we haven’t even introduced Amanda Colt yet!
Review: The Tale of Patrick Peyton
Hollywood is now more infamous than famous for its lack of class and sophistication. Once known by monikers such as the Dream Factory and Tinseltown, it is presently known as a pit of “scum and villainy” that masquerades as a legitimate enterprise. The actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood would be outright ashamed of the behavior of those who call the place home now.
It was not always like this, and there may yet be hope for the Dream Factory. But that hope might not come from the source one expects. Just ask Father Patrick Peyton.
Review – Dungeons & Dragons: Fell’s Five by John Rogers
Adric Fell and his merry band of misfits – the murder-happy halfling Bree Three-Hands, the ostracized elf Varis, and the dwarf Paladin Khal Khalundurrin – are on a mission to rescue some kidnapped travelers held in the Underdark. When they get there, they meet Tisha Swornheart, a tiefling sorceress who proves quite capable in battle. She also shows she is able and willing to help them with their rescue, even though it threw off her own plans to save everyone. After this successful adventure, they sign Tisha up as part of their group and enjoy a nice evening in a tavern. At least until the zombies show up.
Hey, it’s Dungeons and Dragons. The world is an open sandbox so players are free to make their own stories. When is it ever peaceful there?
Review: Rip the Falcon #1 by Riley Webber
Rip is a falcon “searching through the Reach.” Living in a world of fellow humanlike animals, demons, and fae creatures, he seeks something he does not yet know and cannot name. All he has are his enormous talons, his fighting skills, and the determination to see justice done.
Part of an ongoing animated series, Rip the Falcon #1 explores an adventure that sees the titular hero facing a true test of spirit. Will he live to learn the lesson shown to him? Or will the power he finds overcome him?
Review – Champion of the Poor: Father Joe Walijewski
Long ago, back when they could tell stories, Marvel Comics released an issue telling the history of the then-current Pope of the Catholic Church: John Paul II. It was one of several comics the company released on Catholic personages (including St. Francis of Assisi) and it remains one of their best issues. Unfortunately, the Marvel Comics of the present no longer even considers writing such tales. They would rather write about resurrecting Christ via living mutated islands.
Yes, really.
But nature abhors a vacuum and the Almighty always has the last laugh. A new comic book company has stepped up to fill the void. One of their comics is Champion of the Poor: Father Joe Walijewski – a fine story in the tradition Marvel established so long ago with their book on John Paul II.
Review: The Serpent by David Drake
Based on the Legends of King Arthur and other romantic tales of chivalry, the world of The Serpent is a shattered futuristic cosmos. The universe exists between two planes – Here and Not-Here. The Road connects nodes or locations of safety but creatures from the Waste outside these places will attack anyone at any time, or come into Here from Not-Here if something is attracting them. Finding Ancient technology to make life easier and rebuild civilization takes specific skills, and only a Maker can restore or retool Ancient machinery for modern use.
Into this broken world strides Lord Pal, a Champion of Mankind and follower of the Leader of the Commonwealth. Pal is a Maker as well as a warrior, a man able to go into a trance to rediscover and refurbish lost technologies. But finding those things and keeping them from the monsters – human or otherwise – which prowl his world takes more than one type of skill. It takes courage, honor, loyalty, and a strong sense of justice!
Review: Deathbringer (The Spellswords Saga, Book 1) by Blake Carpenter
Inga Ivanova couldn’t be happier. She is about to marry her childhood sweetheart, Pyotr, and take up her rightful place on the collective farm as a wife and mother. Not even her own mother pulling her aside moments before the wedding begins to show her a magnificent sword and tell her a secret can ruin her big day.
Not until the First Daughter of Clan Avard rides up with her soldiers and, confirming Inga’s likeness to that of a noblewoman, orders her troops to kill everyone on the farm. Starting with Inga’s mother, Pyotr, and Inga herself.
Review: Worlds Long Lost, edited by Sean CW Korsgaard
Space, the Final Frontier – or so we have been told. It is a frontier to us, but what of those races or species which probed the stars first? What about those bizarre lines caves that look like structures, or the temples obviously made by rational beings in the far reaches of space?
Then there are the questions left here on Earth. The Egyptian pyramids – why did they build them? What about those odd monoliths that appear and then vanish? Or the old whispers of gods long forgotten or utterly lost?
Not every question can be answered satisfactorily. And in some cases, curiosity kills more than the cat!
Review – Imperial Stars, Vol. 2: Republic and Empire by Jerry Pournelle and John F. Carr
What is the difference between a Republic and an Empire? Is an Empire the only type of government prone to corruption and destruction, or is every type of régime susceptible to it? What does tyranny actually look like – and what does freedom actually mean?
Review – Cobra War, Book 1: Cobra Alliance by Timothy Zahn
Cobras are the ultimate saboteurs. They can hit a target and fade into the crowd more easily than regular soldiers in times of war. But this very advantage makes it hard for them to react calmly when threatened even as a prank.
So the Cobras and their dependents, along with other colonists, left the Dominion of Man and settled the Cobra Worlds.
But their new home is no longer safe….
Review: Cirsova Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense: Vol. 2 No. 1 (Spring 2019)
Ready for a dash of the macabre, a flood of the supernatural, and a sweeping view of various damned souls? Then strap in, because this issue of Cirsova has it all!
Book Review: The Shaman of Karres by Eric Flint and Dave Freer
Changes are coming to the galaxy. War is brewing between two worlds, a warrior of Na’kalauf needs psychological healing, and Captain Pausert just wants a vacation. To say nothing of finding time to wrap his mind around the fact that he will be marrying the Karres witch Goth soon.
But most of all, the Leewit is growing up. And she’s not happy about it.
Book Review: The War Against the Rull by A.E. Van Vogt
The Rull: a species so alien that their minds are shrouded from human understanding. Shapeshifters who hide their true insectoid forms, they infiltrate humanity’s empire and begin a century’s long war.
Faced with this threat, humanity seeks allies among other races in the galaxy, most of whom are extremely xenophobic or too proud to ally with the bipeds from Earth. In the midst of this crisis, Trevor Jamieson sets out to find a way to defeat the Rull. He does not seek superior firepower or technology, but by a more subtle means: making friends with the other lifeforms in the galaxy, who are threatened with the same extinction as mankind!
Review: A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
ohn Carter, gentleman from Virginia, sets out with his friend Captain James Powell to prospect in the Arizona territory. But their tools are not up to the task; to continue their endeavor, they need better equipment. Since Powell knows more of mining than Carter and has greater familiarity with the area, he is the one who sets out to collect the gear they require.
Unfortunately, Powell is captured and killed by Apaches. Feeling something amiss after spotting three dots on his friend’s trail, Carter goes looking for him in time to rescue his body from the tribe. After a brief chase he manages to hide within a cave, where the adventure really begins.
Review: Year of the Unicorn by Andre Norton
The war with Alizon is over. High Hallack – the western continent of the Witch World – is finally free. With the loss of the alien Kolder’s machines, the men of the Dales of High Hallack put their unified forces to good use, driving the Hounds of Alizon back across the ocean. In spite of the damage wrought by years of war, the Dales belong to Dalesmen once again.
But victory comes with a price. Pushed to the limits of their strength, the Dalesmen made a pact with the mysterious Were Riders. Able to assume the form of animals, the Were Riders agreed to help the Dalesmen on one condition: When the war ended, they would be provided thirteen brides. For there are no female Were Riders, and if the “Pack” is to survive, they need mates.
When one of the prospective wives-to-be refuses to accept her assigned marriage, another girl sees the opportunity of a lifetime. But will her choice bring good fortune, or a fate worse than death?
Review: The Wisdom of Walt Disney: The Themes, Ethics, and Ideas of His Greatest Films by David Breitenbeck
The Disney Corporation’s spiral into bland, banal storytelling while pushing tired talking points on viewers is a sad sight indeed. What is there to like about Walt Disney, now that the House of Mouse has become the House of Mildewed Cheese? Plenty, if one knows where to look, as this collection of essays demonstrates.
In this short book, one will reconnect with the foundational films produced by Walt Disney himself. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Sleeping Beauty, there is no way a reader will walk away from this book and see the movies described herein the same way again!
John Carter – A Review
John Carter came out the same year as Marvel’s The Avengers, which walked away with more praise from critics and audiences. While I love The Avengers dearly, the fact that John Carter was allowed to falter and fail at the box office by Disney remains a crying shame. This film is a modern classic.
Everything in the film is directed toward making John Carter a timeless sci-fi/fantasy movie. Andrew Stanton – creator of Finding Nemo and WALL-E – outdid himself in bringing Edgar Rice Burroughs’ story to life. Although there are some concessions made for a modern audience, those hardly dent the effort put into making this homage to space opera storytelling.
Review: Storms of Victory by Andre Norton and P.M. Griffin
The land of Estcarp is ruled by a Council of Witches, women who wield magic only so long as they remain virgins. But when war threatens from the south, they find they have insufficient manpower to deter the forces of Karsten.
Desperate to save their nation from destruction, the Witches pool their Power to physically twist and reshape the mountains on their southern border. This event, known as The Turning, saves Estcarp from destruction. But it kills numerous Witches at the same time it awakens threats and Dark things that have been left sleeping for long centuries…
Review: Phoenix (The Carter Files, Book 1) by Lori Janeski
Even in the future, crime exists. Thus police officers must stand between the innocent and those who would do them harm. But what happens when one of their own appears to be going rogue?
A Song of Joy by Caroline Furlong 